Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-30
RETROSPECTIVE.


The Constitutions Makers and Their Ta,k
AS Independence Hall was the birthplace OF
the liberties of the colonies, so also was it the
birth chamber of tho nationality OF the con-
federated States. For it was here, in the sum
ner of 1857, that the convention met to devise
Il better form of government than the confed
GRAFTON, which was little more than q thread
holding together the conflicting interests of
the different sections. The convention met in
May, with delegates representing oil the States
George Washington, one OF the delegates rep
resentng Virginia, was chosen President
1t was wonderful body of mon. chosen to
grapple with questions which had never been
by statesmen Happily they We're the intel
lectual ar,stocrncy of the Democratic colonies,
with character and mental qualities suited to
their task Among them were Hamilton by
right the father of the Constitution, q man pre-
eminently n statesman, broad minded phi
losopher, and practical, higll-minded gentle
man. Franklin. thun whom none was more
experienced i'll the affairs OF state, Washing
ton, Madison, Gouverneur Norris Rufus King,
Robert Morris, Pinckney, and Randolph.
Active work was begun by the convention on
May "a, but little progress was made for some
time. Tho convention was from the start
perplexed by doubts. Says historian OF the
Constitution:
"The trainers of the Constitution asembled
for their work amidst difficulties AMI eInbar-
easements of an extraordinary nature. No gen
eral concert of opinion had taken pluce us to
what was possible to be done. Whether it were
wise to hold n convention; whether it were
even legal to hold it. and whether if held it
would be likely to result in anything usefnI to
the country, were points upon which the most
opposite opinions prevailed in every State OF
the Union.'
The convention had no precedents to guide
it's action; the diversity O; opinions and inter-
ests of the colonies represented by the dele
gates made it seem probable that no agree
nent could be reached, and at last final
adjournment was proposed. DR. Franklin, then
in his SD year, arose, and, addressing the
President, said: "Eow has 1T happened,
sir that while grcping SO long in the
dark, divided i'll our opinions, and now
ready to separate without accomplish
ing tho great objecs of our meeting, we
have hitherto not once thought of applying to
the Father of Light to illuminate our under
standings? In the be,inning of the contest with
Great Britain, when We We're sensible of dam
GER we had daily prayers in this room for di-
vine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard
and graciously answered"
The venerable Philosopher then moved that
the daily sessions o. the convention be opened
with prayer, but his motion does not appear to
have prevailed. 1nal adjournment was not
taken, however, ant the convention pursued it's
work. In September I'LL the provisions OF the
proposed constitution We're referred to COM
mittee for revision This work was completed
Oh Sept u and thel ratified by the convention.
Copies were sent to the several States for ratiti-
cation, and i'll the fpring of 1899 the new repub-
lie was al accomplished fact.